by Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY

by Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY

LONDON - The family of the man who was shot dead by Metropolitan Police, sparking unprecedented riots and public disorder across England, has appealed for calm following an inquest's conclusion that Mark Duggan was lawfully killed.

"The struggle will go on peacefully. But we will not give peace to the authorities until we get justice," Duggan's aunt, Carole, said Thursday while speaking on a BBC radio program.

On Wednesday, a jury at the Royal Courts of Justice found that while they believed Duggan, 29, a father of six, did not have a gun in his hand when he was shot dead by police on the street in Tottenham in north London during the summer of 2011, his killing had been justified, and within the bounds of the law.

The shooting led to widespread violence in the capital city, which then spread to other cities across the United Kingdom. Police struggled for days to contain mass looting, arson and severe anti-social behavior. It also generated a significant breakdown in trust between the nation's disaffected, often socially disadvantaged, youth, and British police.

After the inquest's verdict Wednesday, Carole Duggan, flanked by members of Mark's extended family and friends, shouted "No justice, no peace" from outside the steps of the court. "We will not give peace to the authorities until we get justice," she said.

The possibility that dissatisfaction with the verdict, coupled with Carole's initial comments Wednesday evening, might lead to further unrest looked increasingly remote Thursday as senior members of the Met said they would meet with community leaders to discuss ways to build better relationships with London's black communities.

"I welcome the verdict of a jury that our officers acted lawfully when they confronted an armed criminal who they believed posed a threat to them and to the public," Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said. "But I recognize that some in the community are still angry at Mr. Duggan's death."

British Prime Minister David Cameron said that he hoped "people would react calmly" to the verdict and London Mayor Boris Johnson told the BBC that the inquest vindicated the "restraint" shown by police.

Duggan had a criminal record and police suspected him of involvement in gun crime - something treated especially seriously in Britain, where handguns are outlawed and shootings are rare.

A handgun was discovered near the scene of his death, and the officer who shot Duggan said he was sure the gun was in Duggan's hand as he opened fire. Duggan's supporters insist he was unarmed.

The commissioner on Thursday unveiled a proposal that will see armed officers given body-worn video cameras to record actions taken during arrests and confrontations. "We want to see if this is an effective way to record evidence and ensure public confidence," he said.

The Duggan family is now considering whether to push for a judicial review of the inquest's conclusion. Under this process, a judge would examine how the decision of a court was reached rather than whether it was right or wrong to do so.

"The majority of the people in this country know that Mark was executed. We are going to fight until we have no breath left in our body for Mark and his children," his aunt said on Wednesday.

Stephen Reicher, an expert on crowd psychology at Scotland's University of St. Andrews and the author of a book on the riots, said the jury's decision could play an important role in shaping the nation's understanding of the riots, and why Duggan's death prompted such fury.

"The answer has got to be addressed: 'Why is it that an unarmed young black man had to be shot?' " he said.